Halloween To Die For at A Vintage Journey

Hi everyone and welcome. Today sees the launch of the latest challenge at A Vintage Journey and our host for this one is the wonderful Anne. Here's the challenge she's set for this fortnight; "Halloween is one of my favourite times of year, I love when the children come to the door, in their costumes, to 'trick or treat'. You do not have to make anything scary (but it would be fun if you did!) but you must use at least one die on your creation and it must be strongly influenced by Tim Holtz. It can be a tag, card, canvas or mixed media piece."

Well that got my creative cogs whirring at an alarming pace as I toyed with the idea of which dies to employ - an ATB, a mini book, oh the possibilities were endless! Then Tim Holtz released the latest 12 Tags of 2014 tutorial/challenge and (with the well timed arrival in the post of some new Distress Spray Stains) I decided to keep it simple and make a die cut laden Halloween card following Tim's techniques and ideas. 

Tags are great for using and layering on cards as well as in their own right, and cutting different sizes and shapes is now so easy with the release of the Sizzix Tim Holtz Framelits 8 piece 'Tag Collection' set. I used Tim's Gothic Layering Stencil with texture paste having masked off the stamped/embossed Mini Blueprints poison bottle. In her latest awesome Halloween matchbox collage tutorial Paula Cheney suggested sticking with a limited colour palette when you are combining lots of elements and I took that on board here, spritzing the tag with a simple mix of Dusty Concord, Antique Linen and Tarnished Brass Distress Spray Stains.

Tim painted a pumpkin for his tag. I went a little larger and stamped/painted the chemistry set from The Chemist stamps set on the slightly smaller tag, using Glossy Accents to add some extra detail. Spraying the tag initially with the Antique Linen Spray Stain gave it a great mottled look and by masking the bottles I was able to add some 'equation' stamping too.

And so to the finishing touches; as well as Alpha Tiles to spell out the word poison and some matching Tissue Tape, I die cut a mini tag to apply the 'beware' Chit Chat sticker, used the matching die for the Simple Saying, and covered the die cut skull and crossbones with Distress Glitter.

So there you have it, plenty of die cuts, lots of Tim techniques and a touch of Paula styling.

I will be entering this into Tim Holtz 12 Tags of 2014 October Tag challenge.

I hope you will join in with the 'Halloween To Die For' challenge over at A Vintage Journey and urge you to go over there to see what my fellow Creative Guides have created. So many of the Guides have joined in with this challenge that you'll be spoiled for choice! And there's good reason to join in the fun yourselves - the challenge runs for two weeks and then a winner will be chosen by the team. The winner will receive a £10 shopping voucher from our host Country View Crafts. The team will also be choosing three blog badge winners, our 'Pinworthies'.

I'm back again tomorrow with the regular Saturday IndigoBlu post and if you are in Brownhills,Walsall I'll be demoing at Back to Craft and would love to see you there. For now take care of yourselves, Jenny x

Find all the products featured in this project from our challenge sponsor, Country View Crafts.